


Once Upon a Time

by TheMightyZan



Series: Nell and Cullen [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fluff, Romance, Storytelling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-27
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-26 02:31:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3833677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMightyZan/pseuds/TheMightyZan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nell Lavellan needs to keep Cullen in bed while he is sick and restless. She decides to read him a story.</p><p>(Reposting after accidentally deleting because I'm awesome like that)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story within a story type thing, and the story being told is based on The Riddle by the Grimm Brothers.

Cullen was sick. Actually, that wouldn’t have been too bad, but apparently he was sick and was also a terrible patient.  Nell had been sitting at Varric’s table, papers spread in front of her, when a rather harried looking servant had found her and all but begged that she do something about the commander. Apparently he was being short tempered and the healer who had brought him something to take for his fever had threatened to tie him to the bed if he didn’t stay there on his own.

Nell sighed at the information and glanced over to see Varric sending her an amused grin.  “Your lion, your responsibility,” he stated matter of factly and looked back down at what he was writing.  She stared at him a few seconds and when he offered nothing further she scowled.

“You have to help me. I don’t know how to keep someone in bed, well besides with sex, and I don’t think that’s helpful right now.”

The dwarf looked back up at her and after a moment gave a sigh of his own and set down his quill. “Well why would I know any better?”

“Because you’re very clever.”

“Flattery from you, Snappy? I’m shocked.”

She felt her scowl deepen with the nickname and tapped her finger on the table.  “I wasn’t flattering you, I was stating a fact. Are you going to help me?”

“Well don’t ruin it for yourself by being you.”  Varric’s laughter with his words was rough and made the corners of her lips twitch.

“I wasn’t aware your ego was so small that I could possibly put a dent in it by not falling over myself with witty compliments.  Allow me to correct that.  You are a paragon of manliness, Varric.  I contemplate leaving Cullen for you every day but I know that I could never hope to gain your heart.”  Her words dripped with sugar and the two grinned at each other until, finally, Varric laughed again.

“Alright, alright.” Varric waved his hands before reaching up to rub his chin, his eyes dropping to scan the work in front of him. “You’re good with stories, why not tell him one.”

“Tell him a story,” she asked, her mind already wandering to what stories she knew, and how long they would take to tell.  “I don’t know if I know one that would take days.”

“The man is half dead with fever.  All you have to do is keep him distracted until he passes out.”

It was a good point, and one she was inclined to try, so she leaned forward, her arms coming up to rest on the table in front of her.  “Will you help me come up with one?”

“Me?”  Varric started to say something, anything, that would help him get back to his writing, but when nothing presented itself as helpful he gave a resigned sigh and propped his head on his hands.  “Fine.  Let’s hear your ideas.”

It took longer than she had expected, probably longer than Varric had expected also, to come up with the story, a mix between a half remembered one from her childhood and one that Varric had been telling for years, but by the time they had finished it both were satisfied with the outcome.  She had offered the dwarf a wide smile as she stood from the table and reached her arms up to stretch.  “I appreciate the help, Varric.  I owe you.”

“How about you don’t drag me out to the Hissing Wastes when you go again?”  He frowned as he said it, and she couldn’t help laughing at the memory of him muttering under his breath as he emptied his boots of sand for the millionth time.

“That seems fair.”

He brightened at that and shuffled papers till the story he had been working on in the first place was back in front of him.  “Always a pleasure, You Inquisitorialness.”

She sent him a wave before grabbing up the book they had been writing in and tucking it under her arm. “Well, wish me luck.”

Varric’s laughter followed her as she turned away.  “Good luck.”

She took the stairs two at a time up to their rooms, slowing only when she reached the final door. Taking a deep breath, because she knew this was probably going to test her patience, she pushed the door open and started up the last set of stairs.  Cullen was sprawled across the bed, his chest bare and his linen pants riding low on his hips as he stared up at the ceiling.  She let her gaze run over his face and chest, both flushed from his fever, before turning to look at the pile of blankets he had shoved off the end of the bed.

“Hot?”

He blinked before looking over to her with fever bright eyes that seemed to have some problems focusing.

“Good you’re here.” The words were croaked out, the rawness of his throat obvious in the strained voice.  “I need you to tell them to let me up.  I have work to do.”

She stared at him before making her way to the bed and settling near his head.  “No.”

“I don’t have time-“

“Our armies aren’t going to fall apart if you take a few days to feel better.  Creators, Cullen, the last time you tried to get up you almost passed out.”

“The reports are-“

“Under control.  You are going to stay in this bed until the healer tells you it’s alright to go back to work, or I will tie you down myself.”

When he simply narrowed his eyes at her, his face set in a mutinous scowl, she relented enough to slide her hand over his cheek.  Noting that it was dry and burning she cooled her hand until he sighed at the feeling of it and leaned into her touch, his eyes sliding closed.  “That feels good.”

“I’m sure.  Please rest, for me?  I don’t want you getting worse.”

He sighed again and blinked his eyes open to look back up at her.  “I’m going to go crazy laying here.”

Nell offered him a smile and waved the book in her hand before shifting around until she could cross her legs on the bed.  “I know. I’ve come to offer a distraction.”

He eyed the book as she reached over to set a weak ice glyph against the mattress so that it would feel cooler against his bare skin.  “You’re going to read to me?  Really?”

She watched as Cullen relaxed against the colder sheets and tilted her smile a bit.  “What do you mean really?”

He shrugged and started to speak again before stopping to cough, the harsh sound of it having her rubbing his arm in sympathy even as her voice laced with humor.  “Well, according to the maid you’ve been acting like a child, so something has to be done to keep you busy and in bed.”

The look he gave her was withering, but the effect was nearly lost behind the haze of fever.  “I just don’t,” he started but stopped when she lifted a brow, and watched as she settled the book on her lap and flipped it open.

“Think of it this way, it will take your mind off things, and even if you find it boring it has the chance to put you to sleep.”

He gave a weak laugh and reached out to twine his fingers with hers.  “Alright.”

She squeezed his fingers and looked down to the mess of writing on the page, a testament to the differences she and Varric had had.  “Once upon a time,” she started then stopped when he laughed again.

“You’re telling me a fairy story.”

“And if I am?”

He shook his head, his eyes closing as he played his thumb over her knuckles.  “Nothing.”

She squinted her eyes at him, contemplating, before speaking again.  “You’re going to interrupt a lot aren’t you.”  It was a statement that had him smiling.

“No.”

“Liar.”

“I’m not!”

She simply stared at him a moment longer, her fingers picking at the edge of the book.  “So I can start?”

Cullen cracked his eyes open, his smile widening.  “By all means.”

“Uh-huh.”  She gave a shake of her head and looked back down again. “Now as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted.  Once upon a time…”


	2. Part 2

“Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to see the world.”

Nell looked over to Cullen’s flushed face as she spoke and she couldn’t help the smile that tilted her lips as she studied him.  “He was a kind prince, and very handsome with well-groomed blonde hair and eyes the color of the sun through amber.  He was much beloved in his kingdom because of these facts, and because he had proven himself time and again to be a fine fighter and a shrewd military leader.”

“Nell,” Cullen croaked, his eyes opening even as his brows lowered.  “Please tell me that you did not turn me into the prince in a story.”

“And if I did?”

“It’s ridiculous.”

She stared at him a few seconds before huffing out a laugh.  “You’re right, you are.  It’s just a story, Cullen.  Don’t read too deeply into it.  Now, can I continue?”

Cullen’s expression didn’t ease but he nodded at her and closed his eyes again.

“One day his parents came to him and said that they believed that it was time for him to take a bride and take over more of the ruling of the kingdom.  The prince loved his family and his country and he had no real problems with what they were asking of him, but he was restless.  He realized that before he followed through with his parents’ wishes he wanted to see the land outside of his own country, maybe even have an adventure.  So he told his parents he needed time, and set about getting ready to leave.

“Knowing that he should not go on his own the prince asked his most trusted manservant to go with him. The servant, a dwarf who had a penchant for secrecy and stories-“

Nell glanced up as a breathless laugh that soon turned into a cough cut her off.  Cullen had turned his head, his shoulders shaking with his coughs as he waved a hand in her direction.

She blew out a sigh and set her elbow on her knee so she could rest her chin in her hand.  “Really?”

It took him a minute to get the coughs under control, but when he did he turned back so that he could send her a wide smile.  “I-I’m sorry. It’s just… Varric as a manservant.  Did he write the part about his penchant?”

Nell frowned at him then straightened and closed the book.  “This was a mistake.  I’ll let you get some rest.”  She started to slide from the bed when Cullen caught at her leg.

“Wait, wait. I’m sorry,” he stated, fingers tightening when she made to move again.  “You have to admit Varric as a servant is funny though.”

She looked back at him, taking in the flushed skin and weak grip as well as the amused gaze coming from the too bright eyes.

She was weak when it came to him, she could admit it to herself, so she rolled her eyes and turned back.  “It’s… a little funny to think about,” she admitted reluctantly, and returned his smile when he laughed again.  “It was his idea though, so all I can do is stay true to his vision.”

“His vision… right.”

After a laugh of her own Nell crossed her legs again and reopened the book.  “So am I reading this or not?”

Cullen shifted around until he was lying more fully on the ice glyph, and reached for her hand again. “Reading.  I have to know what happens now that I know Varric is my trusty manservant.”

Nell made a noise of agreement and started to read again.  “The servant, a dwarf who had a penchant for secrecy and stories, had been working for the royal family for years; had, in fact, practically raised the prince, so there seemed little surprise that he would be asked to come along for the journey.”

> **_“You’re sure you want to do this?”_ **

> **_“Yes.”_ **

> **_“Just wander around in the wilderness and various places until you get bored and decide to come home.”_ **

> **_“Not exactly, but… basically.”_ **

> **_The servant sighed and turned back to where he was placing clothes into bags. “I hate the outdoors.”_ **

> **_The Prince laughed and set a hand to the dwarf’s shoulder.  “I know, but there isn’t anyone else I would take with me.”   When the servant merely let out a grunt he laughed again and moved to check over his own already packed belonging. “I’ve never been anywhere.  I’ve never tried anything.  I don’t want to take up the mantle of kinghood, of husbandhood, without having at least seen some of the world first.”_ **

> **_He heard the servant sigh again and turned to watch him finish tying his bags. “Trust me, Curly,” he began, reverted to the private nickname that he often used for the prince when they were alone, “it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.”_ **

> **_With those words the servant hefted his bag onto his shoulder and came over to grab the prince’s also.  “I’ll get these.  Are we taking a carriage?”_ **

> **_“No, of course not.  Horses. I’ll send someone to ready them.”_ **

> **_The Servant blinked at the younger man before finally shaking his head and turning to leave the room, something about hating horse riding being muttered under his breath._ **

> **_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_ **

> **_They traveled for many days, soon passing out of the prince’s kingdom and into the lands beyond.  It was a rather uneventful trip if the truth be told, and they spent most of their time staying distracted by the servant telling the prince stories of his adventures from before he started working for the king and queen._ **

> **_The Prince was surprised to learn that his manservant, his friend, had once lived a life of crime, and he had had no knowledge of it.  The servant had apparently been a member of the rather infamous Cartel, a crime organization that his parents had been trying to eradicate for nearly three decades with little success._ **

> **_It seemed the servant had gotten his job because he had offered to give the monarchs information on his former employers, and they had agreed._ **

> **_“Why would you turn against them,” The prince asked, more curious than he cared to admit about what would cause his exceedingly loyal friend to turn his back on those he worked for, and the servant merely shrugged in response, his hands tightening for a moment on the reigns of his smaller pony._ **

> **_“I did something stupid, and they wanted me dead.  It’s hard to stay loyal to someone who wants your head on a chopping block.”_ **

> **_The Prince supposed he had to agree with that._ **

> **_They fell into silence as they approached the edge of a wood and the servant let out a loud sigh at the darkness within, muttering something about making camp and sleeping on the ground.  The prince merely laughed at him as he slid from his horse._ **

> **_“You planning on sleeping on the ground then?”_ **

> **_The voice had both men whirling back to face the passage into the forest and the suddenly visible young woman who stood there.  She looked as if she had been living off the land for a while herself with her ill cut hair and clothes full of holes, but she was pretty enough with freckles and bright blue eyes so the prince put on his most charming smile and offered a slight bow._ **

> **_“My Lady.”_ **

> **_The woman snorted at the gesture and words and leaned against a tree as she looked them both over.  “Dressed too nice for rolling round in the mud.  Did you get lost? ‘Cuz I’m shite at directions.  Would probably just get the pair of you spinning around in circles.” She snorted again and reached up to scratch at her head before adding softly, “not a bad idea actually.”_ **

> **_“Um, no,” the prince started, even as his manservant raised an amused brow. “We aren’t lost, just getting ready to camp for the night.  Unless you know of a place we could stay, miss…”  He trailed off in hopes she would offer a name._ **

> **_She didn’t._ **

> **_“Oh I know a place you can stay, if you don’t mind doom and a bit of murdery stuffs.”_ **

> **_“Murdery stuffs,” the servant asked, amusement quickly turning to confusion._ **

> **_She motioned for them to follow her and started up a brisk pace into the forest, leaving them to scramble to catch up.  “Don’t know what else you would call evil witches wanting you dead.”_ **

> **_“Look, Buttercup, I don’t know where you are taking us, but no one here is looking for any trouble.”  The servant held up his hands as he spoke, both the men slowing even as the woman snorted out a laugh and turned to walk backwards so she could look at them._ **

> **_“I’m always looking for trouble.  More fun, yeah?”_ **

> **_“Wonderful,” the servant muttered, shooting a look to the prince as they lead their horses after the woman’s retreating figure.  “What could go wrong with following the strange woman to somewhere that involves murder things?”_ **

> **_The woman laughed again.  “Well they won’t kill you, will they?  Not since you know to expect them, not unless you’re both idiots.  Are you idiots?”_ **

> **_Neither the prince nor his servant had an answer to that that wouldn’t prove they were._ **

> **_“I’m taking you to my step-mother,” the woman continued, and turned back around to  walk normally again.  “She’s a witch.  Not the annoying, bad person kind, well… yeah, never mind, she’s that too, but I mean the casting spells, killing people with poison kind.  Can’t trust her.  Actually it might be a bad idea to stay with her… Why did I agree to take you there again?”_ **

> **_She waved off her own words before either of the men could reply.  “Doesn’t matter.”  She stopped and moved her hand to point to lights glowing in the distance. “We’re here now.  Just… don’t eat or drink anything, yeah?  You’ll live well enough if you ignore her offering you anything.”_ **

> **_The woman started walking again and the men fell into step even as the servant gripped the prince’s arm.  “Just so you know I’m running for it if anyone tries to kill you.”_ **

> **_“I’m overwhelmed by your loyalty,” the prince laughed, unconcerned since he was sure he could turn down even the most convincing of hosts.  “Don’t injure yourself mourning for my loss.”_ **

> **_They came to the door of a large cottage and the woman pushed it open, her voice calling out about visitors even as she sent them both a wink and then disappeared._ **

> **_The men stood there a few moments, uncertainty setting in, before an older woman appeared before them.  The prince blinked at her, awed for a moment despite himself.  She was lovely, regal, intimidating in a way that he couldn’t explain, and when she smiled it made him think of the stories he had once heard of sirens and how they were beautiful but killed those who got too close.  She held herself with a courtly grace and her dress, a brilliant white, was nicer than even some of the courtiers that frequented the royal court had.  He heard his manservant swallow audibly and cleared his own throat before offering a deep bow._ **

> **_“My lady, we are sorry to impose-“_ **

> **_“No imposition, Your Highness,” she interrupted, her voice cultured and almost soothing.  “I’m delighted to have you and your… friend here.”_ **

> **_“Your Highness,” the servant asked, uncertainty lacing his words as he eyed the assumed witch.  “How do you know he’s royalty?”_ **

> **_The witch smirked at him, her expression managing a perfect combination of amused and condescending.  “Really, darling, it’s my business to know who comes to my home late at night.”_ **

> **_She offered no other explanation as she ushered them in, cutting off their words with shushes as she settled them in the main room on far too comfortable chairs._ **

> **_“You must be famished after your travels, can I get you all anything to eat or drink,” she asked, already moving towards the kitchen.  The prince and his servant shared a look, remembering the words of the now scarce young woman, and turned to shake their heads at the witch at the same time._ **

> **_“No thank you, we are very tired and simply hoped for a place to rest for the night,” the prince offered, charming smile back in place.  The witch returned it readily._ **

> **_“Of course, darling.  There is a free room right at the top of the stairs.  Get some rest and I will see you in the morning.”_ **

> **_She disappeared through a side door after that, leaving the men to stare after her._ **

> **_“I don’t know about you, but I don’t think I’ll be sleeping much tonight.” The servant scrubbed a hand over his face with his words, a laugh huffing out before he focused back on the prince again._ **

> **_“Nonsense,” the prince offered, a smile crossing his face as he stood and stretched.  “Her step-daughter said that we would be fine as long as we didn’t eat or drink anything, so I will sleep fine.”  He started towards the stairs, glancing back when his friend made no move to follow.  “Are you coming?”_ **

> **_“This is a terrible idea,” the servant muttered before standing to follow the prince._ **

Nell glanced up from the book as she felt Cullen shift against her leg.  His eyes had remained closed for most of the time she had been reading, but now his breathing was beginning to even out, signaling he was going to sleep.  Closing the book she leaned forward to brush her mouth over his temple, the heat of it making her lips tingle.  The movement caused him to blink his eyes open and stare at her, humor crossing his expression even as he struggled to focus on her.

“You made Vivienne a witch.” His words were slightly slurred and she smiled before straightening again.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You made her a witch and gave her Sera as a daughter.  Tell me how you really feel, Nell.”

Her smile widened and she leaned forward to kiss his forehead again.  “Sera was Varric’s idea.  Get some sleep, Commander.”

Cullen blinked again and tried to clear his throat.  “You’re not going to finish?”

“Tomorrow, after you rest.” She smoothed a hand through his hair and checked the ice glyph before standing from the bed.  “Sleep now.”

He offered a slight nod before letting his eyes close again.


	3. Part 3

When Nell made it to the room the next day Cullen was propped up against a wall of pillows with a tray set before him.  She smiled at the way he was looking at the bowl on the tray, his face a study of uncertainty, and came over to peek in herself.

“It’s broth,” she offered, her smile widening when he shot her an annoyed look.  “It’s good for you.”

“I’m not hungry,” he stated, voice still hoarse from his coughing.

“You have to eat, Cullen.”

“I’m not hungry,” he repeated, sounding so much like a grumpy child that she couldn’t help laughing, and when that made him scowl at her she only laughed harder.

“Be grumpy all you want, Commander, you still need to eat.”

“I’m glad you’re amused by this.”

“I really really am.” She laughed again with the words and settled onto the bed next to the tray.

Cullen continued to scowl at her another moment before glancing back down at the bowl.  “It’s cold.”

“Oh no!”  Nell mimed shock, her eyes widening as she reached over and picked up the bowl.  “Whatever will we do?”  She took a few moments to heat the broth, her gaze traveling to Cullen when he started coughing, the harsh sound of it making her wince.  Finally, she lifted the bowl to take a sip and test the temperature before setting it back before him.  “There. Now eat it.  It’ll help your throat.”

She watched his lips twitch before he reached for the bowl and brought it to his mouth.  “I never would have taken you for the mothering type.”

“I never would have taken you as the bad patient type.”

“I don’t like just laying here,” he ground out then shifted before taking another sip of the broth.  “I can only sleep so much.  So, are you here to finish your story?”

The change in topic threw her for a few seconds before she glanced down at the book by her knee.  “Continue it would be more correct.”

“How long is it exactly?”

“Does it matter?”

They stared at each other for several moments before Cullen focused back on his soup.  “You stopped with the prince and his servant going to sleep in a witch’s house.”

“So I did.”  Nell reached for the book and flipped through the pages until she got the section where they had ended.

“So does she kill them?”

She bit back her smile and settled more comfortably on the bed.  “Well, she tried.  The prince and his manservant slept soundly through the night, neither waking until the next morning when the stepdaughter crashed her way out of the house.  After bidding the witch goodbye they went outside to ready their horses.  The witch followed them out, stating repeatedly that the prince at least needed to have a drink before getting back on the road.  After another turn down from the prince she stated that she was going to get him one anyway and went back into the cottage.

“While she was gone the prince decided it would be best to not be there when she returned so he told his servant to hurry and went ahead without him.”

“I wouldn’t have done that,” Cullen interrupted, frowning into his bowl.

Nell smiled and rubbed a hand over his leg.  “It’s not a story about you.”

“I don’t know if I believe that.”

With a shake of her head, Nell continued the story.  “The servant was having trouble getting his saddle onto his pony and so was there when the witch returned.  She was holding a drink and bade the servant to take it to the prince.  When she went to hand him the cup, however, it broke and the liquid from it fell onto the pony killing it instantly.

“Not one to wait around when death was involved the servant took off, but he only made it a short way down the road before remembering how much his saddle was worth, and being one who was as attracted to money as he was repealed by death he turned around and went back for it.

“Getting back to the cottage the servant found the yard empty of the witch and a raven already feasting on the remains of the pony.  Just as the servant started towards it the raven let out a loud squawk and fell over dead.  Deciding that it was probably a bad idea to take the saddle, because of the poison, the servant took the raven instead since he thought that they might be able to eat it later.”

“Ravens caw they don’t squawk.”

Nell looked up at the words, blinking before raising a brow.  “Really?  You’re going to nitpick about that?”

Cullen shrugged, a smile forming as he sat down his empty bowl and settled back against the pillows with a long sigh.  “I’m just saying that ravens don’t squawk.”

“He squawked because he was dying.  It was a very undignified death.”

“An undignified raven death?”

“Exactly.  Can I continue now?”

“By all means.”

> **_“You want to eat the bird that was eating your dead horse?”  The prince sent the dwarf a skeptical look before twisting his mouth slightly in disgust. “That sounds awful.”_ **

> **_The servant rolled his eyes before tucking the string tied to the raven’s legs into his belt.  “Look, Curly, if I have deal with witches trying to kill you and now also walking because my ride is dead I think I should at least be allowed to have a good meal.”_ **

> **_The prince let out a laugh before they fell into silence as they continued down the forest path._ **

> **_The hours passed quickly thanks to flat land and the occasional discussion of what type of woman the king and queen were going to choose for the prince to marry when he returned. While neither thought she would be particularly interesting, they had interactions with past princesses to help with that conclusion, they did wonder what type of uninteresting she would be. The servant was convinced that she would be a bit simple minded, while the prince held out hope that she would at least be able to hold a conversation._ **

> **_As night fell they came upon a small inn that already had its outer lanterns burning.  The prince and his servant hooked the remaining horses to the post by the door and pushed their way inside.  The great room they entered was spacious and well lit, warm air thick with the scent of ale settling around them as the door closed.  They heard a boomed greeting coming from the area behind the bar and watched as a large, hulking figure pushed its way through the door and towards them._ **

> **_It turned out to be a Qunari, a rather large, intimidating one.  His horns spanned the width of the door frame and he had a patch that covered one eye giving him a mercenary look.  Despite this, his smile was wide on his scarred face and his voice when he spoke again was friendly._ **

> **_“Customers!  Excellent.  I was just telling my daughter that we were far too empty.”  He ushered them in and to the bar then made his way around it as his voice raised again to call out to the aforementioned daughter._ **

> **_The maiden that came out to join them was a young human woman with hazel eyes and curling black hair pulled back into a neat bun.  She offered both men a pleased smile even as she curtsied to them and gave her own murmured greetings._ **

> **_Knowing her job well, the daughter waved for them to follow her up the stairs to where they could find their room, before leaving though the servant stopped and turned back to the innkeeper unhooking the raven from his belt as he did so.  He offered the bird with a friendly smile.  “For part of our payment.  I’m sure you and your daughter could do better by it than we could anyway.”_ **

> **_The innkeeper took the bird and gestured back towards the kitchen.  “We’ll cook it up for dinner.  You two take your time with cleaning up and getting comfortable, there will be plenty of food still available when you come back down.”_ **

> **_When the prince and the servant had disappeared up the stairs with his daughter the innkeeper turned and pushed back into the back rooms.  The group of his gang members greeted him with raised brows as he tossed the raven to the man currently manning the boiling pot of stew that sat over the fire. “Add this, it’ll help.”_ **

> **_Hearing a knock at the back door he went to it to discover the witch from the cottage standing just outside the threshold._ **

> **_“I have a job for you,” she stated, stepping into the warmth and offering her wrap to the qunari.  He took it and went to pull her out a seat at the table in the center of the group, watching warily as she settling herself onto it._ **

> **_“What is that?”_ **

> **_“I want you all to kill the visitors that just came in.”_ **

> **_The innkeeper blinked at her, surprised by the request when she normally didn’t care one wit about who came to his inn.  “Can I ask why we need to kill them?”_ **

> **_The witch sent him a slow and calculated smile, her arms coming up to fold on the table before her.  “I don’t like people slipping through my fingers, darling.  Surely you can understand that, and after everything I have done to help you with this place it only makes sense that you would help me.  Besides, I am completely prepared to pay you for your work.  You can’t say no to that, can you?”_ **

> **_He couldn’t and they both knew it. The mercenary band that he lead on the side hadn’t had work in weeks and they needed a job if they hoped to continue eating since the inn saw little business.  So he gave a nod to the witch and joined her at the table.  “No, ma’am.”_ **

> **_They fell into a discussion about how to pull off the hits when the innkeeper’s second finished with the stew and started to hand out bowls, a bright smile gracing his face.  “Plans are always good, chief,” he offered as he set a bowl each in front of the innkeeper and the witch, “but they are better made on a full stomach.”_ **

> **_As this was going on the innkeeper’s daughter came back into the room, her cheeks pink from the pleasure of the prince’s compliments, and stopped short when she saw the witch and the way everyone was gathered around her.  “What are you all doing?”_ **

> **_The innkeeper rose to offer his chair but she shook her head and stepped back so he gave a sigh and sat back down.  “We were discussing the job we just received to… take care of our visitors.”_ **

> **_The daughter’s eyes grew wide at the words and she took a step back as she fluttered a hand to her chest.  “You’re going to kill them?”_ **

> **_“We’re taking a contract.  You would think you were used to it by now,” the innkeeper offered then frowned when his daughter scowled at him._ **

> **_She was not used to it, she hated it, she always had and this was even worse because she liked the two travelers that she had just shown to a room.  They were funny, and nice, and if one was a handsome prince…well… so?  So she folded her arms over her chest and glared around the room, being sure to make eye contact with each of the people there. Finally, wanting nothing to do with such things, she turned and marched back out through the door._ **

> **_The innkeeper stared after her a few moments before reaching up his hands to rub at his face.  He was used to his daughter disapproving of his work, she was the reason he had started the inn after all, and so it took only a few seconds before he dropped his hands and looked back to the witch._ **

> **_“Like I said, it will get done. No reason to kill on an empty stomach though.”_ **

> **_With those words they all began to tuck into their meals, voices falling silent as they enjoyed the food. The innkeeper was chewing a particularly large spoonful when he began to feel a burning in his gut.  It spread quickly, his arms dropping to his sides, useless, even as he began to choke.  Taking a panicked look around he noticed the others having similar reactions. The sound of choking filled the air as they all tried to scramble from their seats or claw uselessly at their throats if they were able to lift their arms, and as the innkeeper slid from his chair to slump on the ground all he could think was that dying didn’t feel anything like he had expected._ **

Nell cleared her throat and looked up to see Cullen’s eyes sliding closed, the half focused gleam of them staring off somewhere to her left.  When she stopped speaking he blinked his eyes a few times in an effort to clear them and swiped his hand over his face.

“Are you done,” he asked, shifted to get more comfortable as she lifted the tray away to give him more room.

“For now.”

“You’re ending on killing Bull, and Vivienne, and the Chargers?”  His voice was even rougher than before, tiredness from still being sick overtaking him faster than she knew he would admit.

She smiled at the question and reached out to smooth the hair from his still hot forehead.  “Varric and I killed a group of murders and an evil witch, not Bull and Vivienne and the Chargers.”

“You like Bull and the Chargers,” Cullen replied, consciousness slipping away from him as he burrowed even further into the pillows, and Nell couldn’t help laughing at the words.

“I do.  I’ll read you more tomorrow.”

At his half formed noise of agreement she stood from the bed and left.


	4. Part 4

Cullen’s fever broke in the early hours of the morning.  Nell had been up to check on him, something she would deny to anyone who thought to ask, and was more than a little relieved when she pressed her hand to his cheek and felt cool skin.  His eyelids fluttered under her touch and she pulled her hand away before it woke him then took the few steps back that it took to bring her to the couch by the bed.

She settled into the corner, knees coming up so she could rest her chin on them.  She had just started to drift off when loud coughs had her snapping her eyes open.  She watched as Cullen’s body jerked with the noise, his hands coming up automatically to cover his mouth and muffle the sound.  Nell stood from the couch and went to pour a fresh glass of water before going to sit beside him on the bed.

Cullen was turned away from her and she rubbed a hand over the bunched muscles of his back causing him to stiffen and look back towards her.

“It’s just me,” she whispered, her hand making another pass along his skin as the coughing ended and he tried to turn more fully towards her.  “Here, drink this.”

He took the offered cup and took a few sips, his eyes studying her over the rim.  “What are,” he started then coughed again before continuing.  “What are you doing here?”

“It’s my bedroom.”

Nell watched him smile before finishing off the water and handing her back the cup.  “I thought you were sleeping somewhere else till I got better.”

She set the cup on the bedside table then gave a slight shrug.  “I am, but I couldn’t sleep so I was in here looking for a book.”

“A book?”

She shrugged again and looked away when Cullen continued to smile, the white of his teeth gleaming in the light from the fire.  “You were checking on me.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she stated, hands reaching out to grab the covers and pull them over him. He would be cold now that he no longer had a fever.  “You are hardly at death’s door.  There’s no reason I would need to check on you.”

Cullen raised a brow and settled himself back into the bed, his hand reaching out to give her knee an affectionate squeeze.  “I love you too.”  When she didn’t respond to that he tilted his head back towards her.  “Since you’re here anyway are you going to stay?”

Nell ignored the heat she felt in her cheeks and turned so she could lean against the headboard next to him.  “If you want me to.”

His hand found hers and brought it to his lips to brush a kiss over the knuckles before coughing again. “I always want you with me.”

It made her laugh then pull her hand away so she could smooth back the sleep tousled curls of his hair.  “Liar.”

“Well… most of the time. You know… you could tell me more of the story, to… to help me fall back asleep.”

Nell blinked at his words, her mind blank a moment before she tilted her head back and let out a loud laugh.  When Cullen asked what she was laughing at she simply shook her head, hands coming up to wipe at the tears that had started to leak from her eyes.  “You’re reading me a fairy tale?  I’m too stoic and grown up for that. Grumble grumble grumble,” she finally said, voice lowered in a bad imitation of his own. When she opened her eyes again he was glaring at her and she laughed harder.  “You like my story.”

Cullen rolled his eyes and looked away from her, the tips of his ears turning a dark pink that had her leaning over and pressing a kiss to his cheek. “You love it.  Admit it.”

He let out a groan and passed a hand over his face.  “I might find it… slightly interesting.”

She hummed at his answer and he turned back to look at her, a matching smile on his face.  “So are you going to tell me another part or not?”

“Well, I don’t have the book, but I can probably remember it well enough.”

She scooted closer to him, her smile widening when he leaned his head against her arm.  “The gang members and the witch had just dropped dead, the raven in their stew still carrying the witch’s poison.  Hearing the noise from their final attempts at survival the daughter came back to find all the bodies slumped around the room.  She screamed when she realized that no one was left living and this brought the prince and his servant stumbling down the stairs to see what was wrong.  Surmising what had happened they offered their apologies to the daughter, worried that their actions had left her all alone, but she waved them away, so glad that she was finally free from the dark world her father had been a part of that she threw open the door to her father’s treasures and offered it to the two men.

“Needing none of the wealth for himself, and softened by the pretty smile that the daughter offered, the prince declined the riches and instead told her to keep them for herself and make a new life.  All that he asked for in return was an extra horse for the servant which was gladly given.

The next day the two men departed, vowing to stop again if they were ever back in the area.  They traveled for many days, not stopping at any more houses for very good reason, until they reached the capital city of the country they had entered.  It was large and bustling and filled with gossip that helped them to learn more about the area.  The most interesting tidbit they heard though wasn’t about the country itself but rather about its princess and how she was looking for a husband.”

“If the princess isn’t you I’m going to stop liking this story,” Cullen interjected, and Nell blinked before smiling at him.

“I would make a terrible princess.”

“I’m not disagreeing with that, but if I’m the prince you have to be the princess.”

Nell smirked and shifted so she could slide an arm behind his head.  “I’ve made a perfectly lovely princess for the prince.”

Cullen tilted his head back to look at her, stubbornness written over his features as he studied her.  “It’s you or I’m not interested.”

She sighed and looked back towards the fireplace, her free hand tangling with one of his.  “We’ll see.”

> **_“So where are we going,” the servant asked, frowning as he tried to keep up with the long strides of the prince through the cobbled streets._ **

> **_“To introduce ourselves to the king and his daughter, it’s the right thing to do.”_ **

> **_The servant snorted out a laugh, hands waving when the prince slowed to stare at him.  “Please, Curly, you want to see how pretty she is since you need a princess yourself.”_ **

> **_“That would be shallow of me,” the prince replied then frowned when his friend laughed again._ **

> **_“But it’s true.”_ **

> **_His frown deepened and he turned to start walking again, his voice floating back to the older man.  “Perhaps.”_ **

> **_They made it to the castle in the center of the city and waited to be introduced to the ruling monarch.  When he joined them they were surprised to see that he was a young looking elf with a smoothly shaved head and direct greyish blue eyes.  Offering a bow to the higher ranking royal, the prince introduced himself and his manservant and stated that he had heard that the king’s daughter was looking to be married._ **

> **_The king gave a nod, his expression uneasy, and made a gesture towards a nearby set of chairs.  When they had all settled he folded his hands in his lap and looked directly at the prince.  “It’s true that my daughter is of an age when she should marry, past the age if truth be told, but her mother died when she was very young and I have always spoiled her.”_ **

> **_“So, what, is she bad tempered and demanding,” the servant asked, amusement lacing his words and a smile tilting his lips._ **

> **_“No,” the king stated then paused a moment, his own smile forming.  “Well, she can be bad tempered, but the person it is directed at usually deserves her ire.  No. The problem is that she is used to getting her way and so when I told her she needed to get married she agreed but only if she could set a task to her suitors.”_ **

> **_“A task?”  The prince felt curiosity settle through him, he had never heard of a princess who required a task to marry before and he would be lying if he said it didn’t peak his interest.  “What sort of task?”_ **

> **_The king started to speak then paused again and shook his head.  “Actually, it might be best if she tells you about it.  She’s in the gardens.  I can have someone show you the way while we have your manservant settled in and fed.”_ **

> **_The servant smiled widely at the idea and waved at the prince to accept it.  “Go ahead, Your Highness, I haven’t had a good meal in days.”_ **

> **_The prince waited only a moment before agreeing and then found himself following a pretty redheaded ladies maid through the winding halls of the palace and out into the fragrant air of the gardens._ **

> **_When the maid curtsied and left he turned to survey the sprawling tumbles of flowers and trees.  At the other end of the path he was on he saw a figure kneeling on the ground, their shape and features lost behind the long grey cloak and hood that covered their head and pooled around them._ **

>   
>  **_  
>  _ ** **_Seeing no one else around the prince assumed the figure was the princess and started towards them, calling out a greeting as he went.  Getting closer he watched as the person turned to look at him, and found himself coming to a stop.  It was a woman, the princess he was sure, and she had beautiful eyes, wide and clear and an odd dark purple that put him in mind of the berries that grew near his own castle._ **   
> 

> **_Realizing he was staring he cleared his throat and offered a bow and an introduction that had the woman tilting him a smile.  “I’m guessing you’re here to try and win me as a bride, Your Highness.”  The statement was made lightly, but her voice was as steady as her gaze as she stood to face him._ **

> **_“I don’t know,” the prince said, watching her and wondering at the color of her hair beneath the light grey cloth. “Maybe.  I was hoping to know if the task you apparently have for your suitors was worth it.”_ **

> **_“That depends.”_ **

> **_“On?”_ **

> **_“Whether or not you think I’m worth dying for.”_ **

Cullen was progressively getting heavier against her side so Nell drew her story to a stop and started to slide away from him so she could leave him to his rest.  At her movements Cullen gave a soft grunt and shifted so that he could wrap his arm around her waist and hold her in place.

“Stay.”

“You need sleep.”

“Stay anyway.”

Since she was comfortable enough she let herself relax back again, enjoying Cullen’s weight after nights of sleeping in a different bed.

“You’re worth it by the way.”  Cullen’s voice was muffled against her, but she understood enough to have her glancing down, confused.

“Worth what?”

“Dying for.”

The words landed in the silence and she didn’t have a good reply so she simply leaned down to kiss the top of his head before smiling and closing her eyes.


	5. Part 5

“Are you going to kill me?”

Nell stopped with her foot half raised to take the last step into the room and glanced towards the bed where Cullen was lying in a half sitting position.  “What?”

“Are you going to kill me?”

She stared at him for a few seconds before waving off his words and starting towards him again until she could toss the book she was holding onto the bed.  “Why would I kill you?  It would take months to train a suitable replacement for the commander position.”  She dropped down beside him, reaching out a hand to pass over his face and check that his fever was still gone.  “And,” she continued as she shifted and pulled the book into her lap, “it would probably take even longer for someone new to learn that… very interesting thing you do with your tongue.  You know, the thing where you-“

“I know the thing,” Cullen interrupted, a laugh making his words stutter even as he leaned forward with his hands up to stop her words.

“Afraid someone will overhear, Commander?”

“There has been a maid in here every couple of hours all day,” he stated, frowning with his words. “I don’t think they need to know what I do with my tongue.”

“Trust me, Cullen, everyone needs to know what you do with your tongue.  Even if it’s only so they know how very lucky I am.”

“No.”

She huffed out a breath and opened the book, flipping through the pages even as she spoke again. “Fine.  So, what was this about me murdering you?”

Cullen turned against the pillows behind him so that he could face her more fully.  “I was just thinking of how you ended the story last night and it got me thinking that maybe you were thinking of killing the prince off.”

Nell smiled and glanced down at the book.  “Do you really think Varric or I would kill off the main character?”

“Yes, absolutely.”  He sounded so sure of himself that she laughed again.

“Well,” she started and tapped a finger against the pages in her lap.  “I guess you’re just going to have to find out.”

> **_“Worth dying for?”  The prince stuttered out the words, remembering the inn and the people within, then paused and shook his head._ **

> **_“Why does anyone need to die?”_ **

> **_“Because that is part of the wager,” the princess stated as if it made perfect sense and turned to kneel back down at the plants she had been working with before.  “Do you want to know what it is?”_ **

> **_The prince wanted to say no, but curiosity nipped at him and he couldn’t help giving into it.  “Alright.”_ **

> **_The princess paused a moment to smile up at him before fishing through the plant bed to start pulling out weeds. “It’s simple, Your Highness, if you win the wager I marry you, if I win you get very intimate with our hangman.”_ **

>   
>  **_“Wait.”  The prince held up his hands a moment, his head shaking again in disbelief.  “You’re killing the people who want to marry you?”  
> _ ** **_“It’s not like they didn’t know what the terms were.”_ **   
> 

> **_“Why would anyone agree to that?”_ **

> **_The princess looked back up at him and laughed, the grey of her hood shaking with the sound.  “Because they thought they were cleverer than I was.” She paused as she wrenched out a particularly large weed then continued.  “They weren’t.”_ **

> **_He should have walked away, should have told her she was insane for suggesting such a thing, but he found himself staring at her cloak and wondering what type of woman would make up such a wager.  He also wondered why he would even be interested in such a thing.  It didn’t stop his next words._ **

> **_“So what is it that someone has to do to marry you?”_ **

> **_She paused for a second time and he could almost picture the smile that crossed her face.  After a few moments she wipes her hands together and stood to face him again.  “They have to come up with a riddle that I can’t solve.”_ **

> **_The prince stared a few moments before letting out a quite huff of laughter.  “A riddle.”_ **

> **_“Hence why they thought they were clever.”_ **

> **_Yes, he definitely should have walked away, after telling her that no princess, no matter how interesting, was worth dying over, but he didn’t, instead he simple glanced over her face. She was smiling, a knowing smile that seemed to say that she knew exactly what he would do and that she did not fear losing to him at all._ **

> **_Apparently that rubbed him the wrong way._ **

> **_“Fine.  I take your wager.”_ **

> **_One of her brows rose in surprise before she managed to school her features and glance to the side.  “You’re very handsome, I would really hate for you to die.”_ **

> **_He smiled at her words, his mind already sorting through things he could use as a riddle for her.  It wasn’t so much that he thought he was more clever than she was, he doubted it actually, but he did think he might be at least as clever.  “Good to know, especially since I have no plans of doing so.  What are the terms, My Lady?”_ **

> **_She studied him a moment and he couldn’t quite decide what the look on her face meant before she spoke again. “It’s easy enough.  You give me a riddle and I get three days to solve it. I’ve already told you what happens when I do.”_ **

> **_“And it can be any riddle?”_ **

> **_“Of course.”_ **

>   
>  **_The prince gave a nod and turned to step away from her, gaze skimming over the rest of the garden before turning back to her.  
> _ ** **_“What does your hair look like?”_ **   
> 

> **_“If that’s your riddle than you must really want to die.”_ **

> **_He moved back to her, his head tilting slightly as he reached up a hand towards her.  The movement stopped when she took a step back, and he dropped his arm again.  “Since I’m putting my life on the line I think it’s a small thing to ask for.”_ **

> **_The princess’ brows lowered while she thought it over.  Finally, she heaved out a sigh and lifted a hand to scoop the hood back revealing a short riot of reddish brown hair.  It also revealed a similar riot of freckles over her face and the points of her ears and for some reason the combination of it all had him huffing out a breath of laughter._ **

> **_That had probably been a mistake because her eyes grew dangerously narrow._ **

> **_“Is something funny?”_ **

> **_“No,” he stated, another laugh tumbling out before he could get his hand up to stop it.  “It’s just… You’re sort of adorable.  I wasn’t expecting it.”_ **

> **_Her eyes narrowed more and when she spoke again it was very nearly a growl.  “I’m very sorry we can’t all be towering gods with muscles and-“  She broke off and waved her hands at him.  “And blonde hair.”_ **

> **_The prince moved his hand from his mouth to his neck and started to apologize but she cut him off with a glower and shoved her hood back into place.  “I also think that you’re going to find me much less adorable when I have you hanging by the neck from a rope.  Good day.”_ **

> **_She turned and began to stride away, which had him stuttering out a random sound before finding his voice, sans laugh.  “Princess.”_ **

> **_She stopped and seemed to straighten her shoulders before turning her head to look at him.  “What?”_ **

> **_“One killed none, but still killed twelve.  What is it?”_ **

> **_“What,” she repeated turning more fully towards him._ **

> **_“That’s the riddle.  One killed none, but still killed twelve.  What is it?”_ **

> **_She blinked before giving a single nod and turning to start walking again._ **

> **_“Good luck,” he called out, a wide smile forming when he heard a disgruntled noise float back to him. Yes, he was going to enjoy this._ **

“You know, you are sort of adorable.”

At Cullen’s words Nell looked up, a brow rising even as she closed the book in her lap.  “Really?”  She deadpanned and he smiled in response.

“You’re the one who brought it up.”

“I brought up that the prince thought the princess was adorable, not me.”

Cullen shrugged and lifted a hand to stifle a yawn then frowned at himself.  “I’m getting tired of being so tired all the time.”

“It won’t last forever.”

“I have things I need to do.”

“Like sleep.”

“No.”

“Yes.”  She pressed a hand to his chest, pushing him back against the pillows before leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek.  “If you promise to take a nap I’ll bring you some reports to go over later.”

He looked so pleased by the idea that she had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing when he reached up to squeeze her hand.  “You’re too good to me.”

“I know.  Now sleep.”  She returned the squeeze before standing and taking the book then walking to the stairs.


	6. Part 6

It took longer than usual to get up to the bedroom to visit Cullen the next day so Nell had one of the maids that had been assigned to check on the commander take him another stack of reports and a letter from herself that said she would be there as soon as she could get away.

When she saw another maid head towards their quarters not ten minutes later she frowned and looked over to where Varric was reading a scroll.

“You know, Cullen mentioned yesterday that maids were coming up every couple of hours to check on him.”

“So?” the dwarf muttered, his tone distracted as he scratched something out.

“So why did I just see another maid head up there.”

Varric glanced up and behind him, a smirk forming as he turned back to look at her.  “Curly half naked and in need of assistance?  I’m surprised it took them this long to start speeding up their visits.”

Nell scowled at him a moment, thoughts suddenly distracted from the paperwork she should be looking at.  It wasn’t that she was particularly worried about the maids, she couldn’t even really blame them for wanting to look, Cullen  _was_ pretty.  But she knew that Cullen would feel awkward about the attention, and while she enjoyed him awkward she really only meant she enjoyed it when it was her making him so.

She tapped her fingers against the table while she stared at the door on the other side of the hall.  “You would think they could be less obvious about it.”

Varric’s smirk widened as he looked back down at the scroll.  “Ah, their young and infatuated.  You can’t expect them to be clever also.  Besides, you do realize the humor in you saying people need to be less obvious, right, Snappy?”

She felt her lips twitch with humor even as she made a face at the man across from her.  “It’s different.”

“Right, right.  Because who wouldn’t want your attention?”

“Not the lion.”  Nell sent Varric a wide smile with her words and he rolled his eyes and coughed out a laugh.

“No, but then again I’m pretty sure you’re both insane.”

She simply continued to smile and started to roll up the scroll she had been reading.  “I’m ok with that.”

“You would be.  Going somewhere?”

“Do you really think I’m not going to go run the too friendly maids out of my bedroom?  They’ve had plenty of ogling time.”

She shoved the scrolls into the box she had set up beside the table after Varric had told her she could work there while Cullen was sick.  She wondered if he would let her keep it up after her quarters were free.  She had been surprisingly productive since she didn’t have a quiet and comfortable place to sleep while looking at papers.

At that thought she shook her head.  She wasn’t sure she wanted to be considered that responsible.

“Don’t maim any of them, Inquisitor,” Varric stated, a smile spreading across his face as she stood up.

“What have I ever done that says I would maim anyone?”

“Nothing, nothing.  I’m just offering friendly advice.”

“Mmhmm.”  She sent him a bland look and fished her book out from under her chair.  “You need to have more faith in me.”

When he simply laughed Nell left, heading for her quarters.

When she pushed through the door that lead from the main hall she nearly ran into Janden, the dwaven woman that worked as Cullen’s assistant.

“Your Worship!”  The woman jumped then offered a hasty bow.  “I didn’t see you.”

Holding up her hands, Nell smiled down at her and moved to stand out of her way. “My fault.  I hope he hasn’t been too unmanageable.”

“N-No,” Janden stuttered out, shifting the stack of papers in her arms. “I would never say that.”

“Of course not.”

When Janden made to leave Nell held out a hand.  “Wait, question first.  Just how many maids are in our room right now?”

“Uh… three, Your Worship”

“Right,” Nell muttered and started up the stairs.

Reaching the bedroom she searched out Cullen first and found him settled at the desk, gaze slightly glazed, while maids worked around him.

“Well, I can say with complete confidence that the room has never been cleaner.”

Her voice caused everyone to jump.  When four pairs of eyes had turned to her she sent Cullen a wink and started towards the desk after throwing the book on the bed.  “Wouldn’t you agree, Commander?”

“Uh…”  Cullen blinked and looked around, seeming to finally notice the rest of the room.  “Yes.”

Nell settled on the edge of the desk, a hand coming out in what was becoming an automatic gesture to brush over his face and check that his temperature was still down.  “I’d say it’s probably clean enough though,” she said before looking up to where the maids were still lingering.  “So you all can go.”

When they all bowed slightly and started to the door Nell cleared her throat to catch their attention.  “I doubt there will be any need for you the rest of the day.”

They hesitated before bowing again and disappearing down the stairs.

“I’m going to start doing my work in here again,” Nell muttered before the world tilted and she found herself in Cullen’s lap.  She lifted her hands automatically to dig her fingers into the shoulders of the linen shirt he was wearing and huffed out a laugh as he steadied her.

“You said you were going to be late.”

“I was, but I noticed you seemed to have a great deal of company and I wanted to make sure you weren’t being overrun.”

He drew her closer, his head tilting up so that he could skim his lips over hers.  Nell started to lean into it when Cullen wrenched his head away, a cough bursting out before he buried his face against her shoulder to muffle the sound.

When the sounds had quieted and his shoulders had stopped shaking she patted his back and bit down on a smile.  “Sexy.”

She felt him laugh against her before pulling back.  “One of these days I’m not going to be doing that anymore.”

“And everyone will rejoice.”

He dropped his head back to her shoulder with a sigh and she smoothed a hand over hair that had been smoothed and comb back for the first time in days. “How much work did you give Janden?”

He laughed and sat back to look at her.  “More than I would be willing to admit to you.”

Nell made a mental note to get some sort of gift for the dwarven woman and made to stand.  “You look exhausted.  Why not move to the bed for a while?”

Cullen mumbled out an agreement and let her stand and pull him to his feet before leading him to the bed.  Nell settled in one of the corners while he crawled to the pillows and fell back against them.

“Are you going to tell me another part of the story now?”

“I might.  Unless you want to sleep instead.”

He shook his head and reached out for her hand.  “No, I want to know how I win you over.”

“You win me over?”

“The prince and the princess then.”

“Ah.  How do you know he does?  Maybe she simply doesn’t get the riddle.”

Cullen shook his head, another cough falling from him as he gave her hand a squeeze.  “That would make for a boring story.”

Nell rolled her eyes and shifted closer to him.  “Right.  So, the prince had just told the princess the riddle, right?”

Cullen nodded, a smile tilting his lips.  “From what I can remember.”

“Well, the princess immediately went back to her room to begin to try and figure out the riddle.  She had never heard of it, so she didn’t know the answer off the top of her head. Because of this she pulled out all of her riddle books, but could find no answer in those either.  Frustrated, she went to dinner that night and sat in silence as the prince and his manservant regaled those in attendance with stories from their own country and travels.

When the prince turned to her some time later to ask if she had made any headway in the riddle she frowned at him and refused to reply, but the casual interest was enough to have her calling for her clerk.”

> **_“So, you can’t find an answer.  Seems to me, Your Highness, you might just have to finally get married.” The clerk grinned with his words, the bright white of his teeth nearly glowing underneath his black mustache. It made the princess scowl._ **

> **_“That is not going to happen.  Not to him.”_ **

> **_The clerk raised a brow, his smile somehow widening as he studied her. They had been friends for years, she just hoped it would be enough to convince him to help her._ **

> **_“What’s so wrong with him?  He is handsome, well spoken, and from what I can tell he doesn’t actually need to marry into ruling a kingdom.  He has his own.”_ **

> **_The princess continued to scowl and moved to fall long ways across her bed, the layers of her skirt billowing around her.  The clerk wasn’t wrong in his assessment.  The prince was all those things, but that wasn’t the point.  The point was she couldn’t lose._ **

> **_Realizing that she still needed to ask him for help the princess pushed herself up on her elbows.  “It doesn’t matter.  What matters is that I need the answer to that riddle.”_ **

> **_The clerk gave a nod and moved to settle in one of her chairs, hands coming up to steeple in front his mouth.  “Do you have a plan to get it?”_ **

> **_“As a matter of fact,” she murmured before rising back to sitting and clearing her face so that she could offer him a bright smile.   “I do.  It involves you.”_ **

> **_“No.”_ **

> **_“Yes.”_ **

> **_The clerk balked a moment before blowing out a long sigh and dropping his hands. “What?”_ **

> **_“I need you to sneak into the prince’s room.”_ **

> **_“No,” he stated again, standing from the chair to pace away and then back towards her.  “What exactly do you think I’m going to find there?”_ **

> **_The princess hopped from the bed to make her way over to him, her hands coming up for a moment to still his movements.  “It’s easy, I promise.  I just need you to sneak in and ask him what the answer is while he is asleep.  It’s simple.”_ **

>   
>  **_  
>  _ ** **_“You can’t ask me to do that.”_ **   
> 

>   
>  **_  
>  _ ** **_“I can,” she replied, her voice turning pleading.  “Please, think about it.  All you have to do is get the answer and then you can leave and I will be in your debt.”  When he didn’t reply she lifted her hand to rest against his arm.  “Please don’t make me order you to do it.”_ **   
> 

> **_“You wouldn’t”_ **

> **_The princess canted her head and stared at him until he let out a disgusted noise and spun away from her.  “How am I even supposed to do that?”_ **

> **_She waved her hands and turned to duck into her changing room before emerging a few minutes later carrying a dark green cloak.  The clerk eyed the garment as the princess shook it out and moved to throw it over his shoulders.  Tying it into place and lifting the hood, she stepped back again and then pressed her lips together in an attempt to not laugh at the image of her tall and usually impeccably dressed friend wearing a woman’s cloak that was far too short for him._ **

> **_“You aren’t serious.”_ **

> **_The princess nodded before turning away to walk back to the bed.  “I am.  It will keep them from knowing you.  Quick in and quick out.  Please.”_ **

> **_The clerk frowned for a moment before rolling his eyes.  “Fine.”_ **

> **_It was hours later, and the princess had been in and out of sleep more times than she could count when the clerk finally burst back into her room. She lept from the bed at the sight of him, eyes wide as she took in the fact that he was not only missing the green cloak, but a bright red mark was marring the right side of his face._ **

> **_“What happened?”_ **

> **_“What happened?” The clerk parroted, his face scrunching a moment before he paused and took a deep breath.  “What happened was the prince wasn’t in his room, his servant was, and he wasn’t asleep. He waited until I was close to the bed and had asked my question before he stole my cloak and chased me out with handful of switches.  Switches!”_ **

> **_The look on his face had the princess covering her mouth with her hands as she stared at him.  “I’m so sorry!_ **

> **_The clerk sent her a withering stare before turning and marching back out of the room, leaving the princess alone and cursing.  Now what was she supposed to do?_ **

Cullen’s deepened breathes caused Nell to stop reading and look up.  She shifted to close her book and move it off to the side before stretching out next to him and pressing against him.

“Marring Dorian’s face?  I’m guessing he doesn’t know about that,” Cullen murmured against her hair as he curled towards her.

“It’s not him, but he would kill me, so no,” she replied, amused at the thought.

“If you do tell him, make sure I’m there.”

“I promise.”


	7. Part 7

Nell woke in her own rooms, the hazy pressure of sleep making her thoughts confusing as she tried to remember where she was and why there was a heavy weight pressing her into the mattress.

Right, she had moved back into her room that night, and of course Cullen was lying on top of her. She had almost forgotten what it was like to be smothered in her sleep by him.  She shoved ineffectually at his shoulder, and when that did nothing but cause him to give a muffled cough into the pillow his face was buried in she began to try and wiggle out from under him.

The movement had him groaning and shifting off of her, the wide expanse of his chest greeted her face as he rolled to the side and his arms snaked around her waist to pull her against him again.

“Glad you’re back.” The slurred words were spoken into her hair, the heat of his breath spreading over her scalp and causing her skin to prickle.

“I didn’t go anywhere.”

He titled his head down, his lips grazing over her forehead even as he smiled.  “Back in here sleeping.”

Nell copied the smile and burrowed closer to him.  “It’s weird, you’re never usually in here when I wake up.”

There was a pause before Cullen gave a heavy breath and rolled onto his back.  “I know.  The healer said I had to stay in here for at least another day before I can return to my duties in full.”  The words were annoyed, bitter, and Nell couldn’t help the tug of humor they sent through her.  The man didn’t know how to relax, didn’t trust anyone else with the work he did.

These days of being ill were probably better for him than he would ever realize.

“Are you hungry,” she asked trying to change the subject before he became unbearable in his need to do something.  “I can go get you food before I get completely ready for the day.”

She watched him pause before giving a shake of his head, his gaze moving from where it had been studying the ceiling to settle on her face.  “No, but, stay here today.”

“What?”

“Stay here,” he repeated, moving so that he could grip her waist with surprisingly firm hands and tug her towards him until she was half covering his chest.  “Keep me company, tell me more of your story, save me from over eager housemaids.”  He gave a smile with the last of his words, and she couldn’t help reaching up a hand to trail her fingers beside it as she studied the near pleading look in his eyes.

After a moment of thought she leaned in to ghost a kiss over the warm softness of his lips.  “Of course, all you had to do was ask.”

She felt him sag with relief even as she rolled to her back and began to study the ceiling.

“A maid will be in here soon to bring me breakfast, why not tell me more of your story till then. Yesterday you ended with Dorian getting hit with a switch and losing your cloak.”

She thought about correcting him again about how the characters weren’t her and Dorian, but instead she swallowed the words and tried to get her still sleepy brain to remember what came next off the top of her head.

> **_The princess skipped breakfast the next morning in favor of heading to the library so she could look for more clues about the riddle.  She had always enjoyed this room the most because of its towering shelves and musty paper smell, but the pleasure she had in going that morning soured when she saw the prince sitting at the large desk in the back of the room with an amused smile on his face._ **

> **_“Good morning, Princess.”_ **

> **_She scowled and headed down one of the rows that held some of her riddle books so she didn’t have to look at him. When she heard the scrapping of a chair she turned to lean her back against the nearest bookcase and waited for him to appear around the corner._ **

> **_When he did the prince was wearing a curious expression and his hands were tucked behind his back.  It annoyed her more than she would admit._ **

> **_“Switches.  Bit barbaric don’t you think?”_ **

> **_He brought his hands forward to hold them in front of him.  “To be fair, my manservant wasn’t the one sneaking into someone’s room in the middle of the night.”_ **

>   
>  **_“And you weren’t even there. Didn’t you trust me, Your Highness?”  
> _ ** **_A grin flashed across his face, causing his eyes to crinkle at the corners.  “Seems I had cause.”_ **   
> 

> **_“And tell me,” she stated stepping away from the bookcase and closer to him, her head tilting slightly as she looked him over.  “What was your manservant doing there?  It could have been me showing up in the dark.  Would you really rather of had your manservant there to greet me instead of yourself?”_ **

> **_The prince blinked at her as a finger came up to trace a button against his chest and the princess bit lightly on her tongue before speaking again.  “You didn’t seem to have any complaints about my looks yesterday, unless… you don’t like adorable.”_ **

> **_There was a beat of silence where she watched a blush bloom faintly on his cheeks before the prince let out an unsteady breath and shook his head, laughing softly.  “You’re good.  Did you play that game with the others?”_ **

> **_“No.  Honestly, I’m not much for games,” she stated, grinning, and stepped back again, her hand dropping to her side.  “But you’re pretty so it’s hard to help myself.”_ **

> **_“Not much for games?”  His laugh was disbelieving this time.  “Says the woman who made me give her a riddle for the chance to marry her.”_ **

> **_“Do you really think the riddles are a game?”_ **

> **_“No.”  The prince’s laughter died and he looked away from her before seeming to come to a decision.  “Tell me, Your Highness, have you come up with the answer yet?”_ **

> **_The question reminded her of her annoyance and she frowned at him before forcing herself to shrug.  “No, but I still have two days.  I’m confident I will be able to find it before my time is up.”_ **

> **_The prince looked back at her, his lips twitching before he bowed his head slightly.  “Well, I can’t say I look forward to dying but I will wish you luck anyway.”  He reached out and caught her hand before she could stop him and lifted it to brush his lips lightly over the skin of her knuckles.  “I’ll leave you to your searching.”_ **

> **_Offering a deeper bow, he turned and left her standing in the suddenly too small row, the skin of her hand tingling and her cheeks warm.  Muttering a curse under her breath, the princess turned to stare blindly at the books before making herself focus and pull one out._ **

The sound of a door opening and closing drew Nell from her story, and she blinked and sat up just as a maid appeared at the top of the stairs with a tray holding two covered plates. Sketching a quick curtsy, the maid moved to set the tray on the edge of the desk, her words bouncing behind her. “Mistress Montilyet mentioned to Cook that you both might like a tray, so she made up two.  I’ll just leave them for you.”

Nell smiled at the words and glanced over to see Cullen pushing himself to sitting.  “Josie knows us too well.”

“Is there anything else you might be needing, Your Worship,” the maid asked, her gaze carefully turned away from the bed and the pair that sat there.

“No, thank you.”

After another curtsy the maid disappeared from the room.  Cullen stood as soon as they were alone and shuffled sleepily over to the desk to lift one of the lids and stare down at the food.  “I feel like I haven’t eaten in days.”  He shot a pleased smile towards Nell and picked up one of the plates to carry back to the bed.  Settling back in he crossed his legs in front of himself and settled the plate on his lap.

“You didn’t bring me mine?”

He gave her a shrug and lifted a piece of ham to take a large bite before speaking around the food in his mouth.  “I’m sick.”

Nell laughed at the image and the words before rolling her eyes and standing from the bed.  “Right.”

“Are you going to keep going?”

She assumed he meant with the story and she didn’t answer until after she reached her own plate and lifted the lid.  “After breakfast.  I can’t eat and kill princes at the same time.”

“You aren’t going to kill the prince.”

“You’re very sure.”

“Prove me wrong.”

She picked up her plate and turned back around to look at him, all bed ruffled and amused.  Rolling her eyes again she went back to the bed and settled beside him.  “After breakfast,” she repeated and lifted a piece of ham.


	8. Part 8

Breakfast was eaten in relative silence, the sounds of training from the courtyard drifting up to fill the room.  When they were both finished Nell took their plates and set them back on the trey before lifting it to carry and place on the other side of the door at the bottom of the stairs.

When she came back up Cullen was already in the changing room scrubbing water from the basin over his face and through his hair.  She left him to it and went to stoke the fire and pull the couch closer to it before grabbing the blanket from the bed and bundling herself into the corner.  When he came out she motioned him over, but instead of taking the other end as she had thought, he pushed at her until he could climb behind and bracket her with his arms and legs.

“I figured you would want to stretch out.”

Cullen shook his head and reached up to cover a cough before replying.  “That wasn’t what I had in mind.”

Nell smiled at the words, her own lacing with humor even as she settled more against him, her hands wrapping lightly around the arm that circled her waist.  “Apparently.”

“So, I’m assuming the princess spent the day looking for the answer to the riddle,” Cullen commented, and Nell bit back a laugh at the attempt he made to sound casual.  He might not admit that he was interested in knowing the rest of the story, but he did a poor job of hiding it.

“She did.”

“I don’t see why.”

Nell raised a brow and glanced over her shoulder at him.  “Oh?”

Cullen shrugged and dropped his free arm to rest against the back of the couch.  “She likes him.  It’s obvious.”

“Is it?”

“Of course,” he replied, his hand coming up to tap against the tip of her ear before it settled back against the couch.  “Why doesn’t she just give up and marry him?”

She laughed and leaned forward enough to turn at look at him fully.  “You do know that not everyone is content to simply let others decide their life course, right?  You may have always been good at doing what was expected of you, Commander, but you are not the princess in this story.”

There was a pause as he glanced over her face before reaching up again to brush his thumb across her cheek.  “You’re right.  So what does happen?”

Nell turned and settled back again, waiting as Cullen shifted and slid his arms around her before speaking.  “The princess spent the day looking for the answer.  She skipped all meals, ignored all inquiries, and didn’t speak to anyone until she made it back to her rooms that night and asked that her lady’s maid be called to attend her.

When the maid showed up the princess told her the same thing she had told her clerk the night before, that she wanted her to go into the prince’s room once he was asleep and ask what the answer to the riddle was.  While the maid was much more agreeable about the idea than the clerk had been she still questioned the princess as to why it was necessary and the princess was honest and told her that it was because she could not find the answer on her own.

Once the maid had agreed the princess went into her wardrobe and found a brown cloak that would cover her dress and bright red hair, making her unrecognizable.”

“Leliana then,” Cullen interrupted and Nell scowled at the air before glancing back at him.

“Leliana?”

He nodded and bent his head to nuzzle lightly at her neck.  “Bright red hair.”

“Maybe it’s a coincidence,” she replied and felt him smile against her skin.

“I doubt it.”

> **_The princess waited up until the maid returned, and she could tell immediately from the missing cloak that things had not gone as planned._ **

> **_“What happened,” she asked as she stood from the couch she had been sitting on to get a closer look at the mussed hair and clothes of her friend._ **

> **_“It was the servant instead of the prince again,” the maid replied even as she tried to straighten what she could of herself.  “He was in the prince’s bed and wasn’t asleep.  When I asked him what the answer ro the riddle was he leapt from the bed, grabbed off my cloak, and chased me off with switches.  I’ve never seen a dwarf move so fast.”  The last part was mumbled as she went to sit down, her hands smoothing over her skirts as she collected herself._ **

> **_The princess watched her then turned in a slow circle and passed her hands through her hair.  “You are supposed to be good at finding out things.  Isn’t that half your point?  How did this happen?”_ **

> **_The maid ignored the question, instead electing to focus on a spot that had been marred on her skirt.  Finally, the princess sighed and moved to sit next to her. Once they were both settled the maid looked up.  “So, what plan do you have now?”_ **

> **_“I don’t have anything.”  The princess scooted further down in her seat. “Nothing.  What am I going to do?”_ **

> **_“Marry him,” the maid suggested and earned a scowl large enough that she laughed and patted the princess’ shoulder before declaring that she was going to bed._ **

>   
>  **_The next morning the princess wasted no time in hunting the prince down.  She found him in the garden, his coat slung over a chair as he crouched near the bed of flowers she had been working on when he arrived.  She stared at the bunching movement of his shoulders for a few seconds before folding her arms over her chest and speaking.  
> _ ** **_“Did you find something lacking, Your Highness?”_ **   
> 

> **_He jerked up at her words, standing and swiveling around in the same movement so that he was facing her.  He looked around, his hand coming up to rub at his neck a moment, before offering a smile.  “Not at all, Princess.  I was simply admiring your work.”_ **

> **_She sent him a patently skeptical stare and adjusted the soft folds of her cloak so that they better cut off the bite of the morning air.  “It’s your favorite isn’t it,” he stated, and she looked back to him with a raised brow._ **

> **_“What?”_ **

> **_“That cloak.  You were wearing it when we first met.  It’s your favorite.”_ **

> **_The princess looked down at the dove grey wool and then back to him before giving a shrug.  “It’s comfortable,” she offered and watched as his lips tilted slightly in amusement._ **

> **_“Would you care to take a walk with me, My Lady?”_ **

> **_She thought about saying no simply because he was already walking towards her and offering his arm, apparently sure that she would take him up on his offer, but she had wanted to talk to him anyway so she lifted her hand to set it against his forearm and feel into step with him when he started walking._ **

> **_Neither of them said anything for several minutes as they followed the meandering path, the soft clicks of their shoes on the stone the only sound to interrupt the quiet morning. As they walked the princess tried not to think of the warmth of him at her side.  It really shouldn’t have been as distracting as it was anyway, but for all the men who had been in his place not a single one had taken the time to talk to her, let alone lead her on a walk, and she was unused to the feel of someone beside her._ **

> **_“So there were nine before me,” he finally said and she blinked up at him confused before what he was saying registered in her mind and made sense._ **

> **_“Yes.”_ **

> **_“And they are all dead.”_ **

> **_“Yes,” she repeated and paused before adding, “I guessed their riddles.  Those are the rules.”_ **

> **_“Do you feel bad at all?”_ **

> **_She thought about it.  It would have been easy to say yes or no, to simply downplay what had happened to those that had tried for her hand, but she wasn’t the type to pretend._ **

> **_“I never asked them to take up the challenge.  I have always been upfront about what was on the line.  Every single one of them decided that it was worth it, or that I wasn’t nearly as clever as I let on.  I can feel bad for them, but I have no remorse about their fates.  They did it to themselves.”  When the prince didn’t respond right away she glanced up to him and took note of his set face.  “As are you.”_ **

> **_At those words he finally smiled and looked down at her.  “The difference though is that you don’t know the answer to my riddle.  I’m just curious as to how you live with nine lives on your hands.”_ **

> **_“They are not on my hands,” she bit out and let go of his arm so that she could step away from him, both of them drawing to a stop as a frown worked over her face.  “I have never forced anyone to agree to my challenge.  I have never said that anyone had anything to prove or that my kingdom was worth such a chance.  They chose their fates themselves.  I can feel pity for fools, Your Highness, but I will not take responsibility for them.”_ **

> **_They stared at each other before, finally, the prince offered a slight nod and did his best to look contrite.  “You’re right, of course.  I apologize, Your Highness.”_ **

> **_She sniffed and started walking again, not waiting to see if he would follow.  “I don’t need your kingdom,” he called, the words floating to her and causing her steps to slow as she looked back at him confused._ **

> **_“What?”_ **

> **_“I have my own kingdom, I don’t need yours,” the prince replied, his steps long until he caught up to her.  “I just thought you should know.”_ **

> **_She huffed in reply and they fell back into silence until they reached the gate that lead out into the darkened woods of the surrounding wild.  The princess stared into it a long time, the faint sounds of forest creatures playing in her ears before she decided to glance at the man that stood beside her. “Why are you here then?”_ **

> **_He smiled at the question, a tilted, amused thing that made him too attractive and had her looking away again in annoyance.  “I think, Princess, that you are probably worth such a risk.”_ **

> **_“You don’t even know me.”  The statement was flat and she didn’t even have to look at him to know that he was simply smiling wider._ **

> **_“But I would like to.”_ **

> **_It bothered her, though she couldn’t decide why, that he said such a thing, and she looked over so she could send him a direct, untrusting glare.  “Why?”_ **

> **_Surprisingly, he paused before giving a shrug.  “I don’t know.  I just think I would like what I found.”_ **

> **_The statement had her falling silent._ **

> **_Before the silence could become overwhelming he spoke again.  “Have you figured out the riddle yet?”_ **

> **_“You know very well I haven’t.”_ **

> **_He nodded and looked away, his eyes locking on a tree as its branches groaned from the movement of the wind.  “You know.  You could ask,” he stated and looked back over to her again, his smile still in place.  “You, not your servants.”_ **

> **_She didn’t reply at first, thinking perhaps he was making fun of her but not being able to see the humor in his expression.  She finally settled on simply shaking her head.  “As if that would work,” she stated and muttered something about being hungry before walking away and leaving him alone with the waking sounds of the forest._ **

> **_He stared after her a long time, waiting until he couldn’t see the stiff rigidness of her shoulders  or the grey of her cloak before he turned back to shrug at the trees.  “It might,” he murmured into the silence and shook his own head before glancing around and heading towards the nearest door and the warmth of inside._ **

Nell yawned into her hand and tilted her head until it settled against the warm flesh and linen of Cullen’s arm.

“You can’t be ready for a nap already,” he protested and she laughed even as she closed her eyes.  “I’m always ready for a nap.  You should know that about me.”

She felt him start to say something else before his mouth closed and he tightened his grip slightly. “Fine, take your nap but don’t think you’re done for the day.”

She didn’t, but as she turned slightly into the back of the couch she couldn’t deny that the idea of sleeping all day was tempting.


	9. Part 9

The sun was high in the sky, its light beaming bright off the white snow of the mountains when Nell and Cullen finally woke, limbs tangled and skin sweaty from the still crackling fire and the sun warmed air that was pushing through the open balcony doors.

Nell shoved the blanket off of them and half crawled to the other side of the couch so she could cool off while Cullen did the same where he had been laying.  She sent him a smile when he blinked his eyes open and focused on her then stretched out a bare foot to scratch lightly at his thigh.  “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“See, napping was a smart idea.”

The words made him laugh and he lifted a hand to scrub it through his hair, ruffling the locks and causing them to fall forward over his forehead.  “I don’t know.  I had a dream about dead horses and Varric chasing me around with switches.”

“Well, that’s… really getting into the story.”

“I think I need you to finish it soon, otherwise I can’t be sure that I won’t start calling you princess in my sleep.”

Knowing exactly how she would feel about such things, they grinned at each other a moment before Nell stretched out an arm and killed the fire in the hearth, causing the room to cool almost immediately.  “I can take a hint,” she laughed.  “Let’s not resort to dramatics.”

> **_The clerk and the lady’s maid stared at the princess as she settled her cloak over her shoulders and pulled up the hood._ **

> **_“Are we really sure this is the best idea,” the clerk asked.  “Because it seems to me that this is the exact opposite of that.”_ **

> **_“He has a point,” the maid added even as the princess rolled her eyes._ **

> **_“Unless either of you have a better idea that you’re willing to share this is all I have at the moment.  I can’t find the answer in any of my books, and I’ve never heard it before to know it off the top of my head.  My only choice is to get it from him.”_ **

> **_“And if it’s his manservant again?”_ **

> **_The princess smiled at her maid and made her way to the door.  “Then I’ll get it from him.  You all just stay here and wait for me.”_ **

> **_She stepped into the hall and pulled the door shut behind her, glancing both ways before setting a brisk pace to the guest wing and the prince’s room.  She paused with her hand on the door a moment and took a deep breath to steady herself before she pushed it open and stepped inside._ **

> **_The room was dark save for a single lamp that was still lit by the bed.  The wavering light of it picked up the gold of the prince’s hair where it rested against a pillow and cast the muscles of his back in sharp contrasts. She stared at him a long moment after she had closed the door, uncertainty making her question what she was doing before she shook her head and moved closer to the bed._ **

> **_Pretty he may have been, and interesting enough to talk to, but that didn’t change anything._ **

> **_It couldn’t._ **

> **_She pushed her hood back as she leaned over so that she could see the relaxed lines of his face, her eyes moving to the faint movement of his hand where it rested near his head.  “Are you asleep,” she whispered, feeling more than a little foolish to be standing there, and when he gave no answer she leaned further in, hoping to catch his sleeping mind’s attention._ **

> **_And let out a yelp as he suddenly turned and grabbed her arm, hauling her onto the bed and settling over her in a flurry of blankets and clothes._ **

> **_“Well hello, Princess.”_ **

> **_She stared wide eyed at him when his face appeared above her, an amused expression accompanying his words.  She knew she was gaping and told herself to close her mouth, but telling and doing were two different things and so she remained slack jawed until the soft puffs of a laugh brushed over her face and caused her to snap her jaw shut._ **

> **_“I thought perhaps it would be you this time,” he continued pleasantly, shifting a bit so that he wasn’t pinning her down, though his hands remained pressed into the skin of her arms.  “You are amazingly predicable.  It makes me wonder how you managed to figure out all those other riddles.”_ **

> **_It annoyed her, the easy smile and amused words, and she lifted a leg to kick at him but the tangle of cloth that surrounded them kept her from being able to angle correctly._ **

> **_The movements made him laugh harder, which of course made her try to kick again, and finally he lifted one of his hands to wave between them in some sort of call for truce.  “How can you be mad at me when you’re the one breaking into my room?”_ **

> **_She didn’t have an answer for that so she simply stared angrily up at him instead._ **

> **_He stared back for a few moments before letting out a sigh and dropping his hand back to her arm though it didn’t curl around it.  “So that’s three nights in a row you’ve tried this trick.  Is it me specifically, or marriage in general you’re so against?  What are you afraid of?”_ **

> **_“I’m not afraid of anything,” she shot out too quickly and too loud in the quiet room.  It didn’t surprise her when he smiled again.  “I’m not afraid of anything,” she repeated more casually, her chin tilting up in defiance._ **

> **_“Right.  Well, in that case I suppose you have a few options.”_ **

> **_“Or you could just let me go.”_ **

> **_The prince nodded in agreement, the hand still holding her arm moving to rest beside it instead.  “That is one of them, but there are others also.”_ **

> **_“And those would be,” she asked, curious despite herself and knowing, even as his smile widened, that he had been counting on that._ **

> **_“Well, you can get up and leave, you can ask me what the answer to the riddle is, or you can kiss me.”_ **

> **_“Kiss you?”  She huffed out a laugh with her words, her eyes rolling before she simply stared at him.  “Why in the world would I kiss you?”_ **

> **_“Because you’re curious.  Because you think I’m pretty.  Because you want to.”_ **

>   
>  **_He leaned closer with each sentence and the princess couldn’t deny, at least to herself, that it wasn’t tempting, but she had never been one to give in to something simply because she was tempted.  
>  _ ** **_She settled for talking instead. “You would tell me the answer if I asked?”_ **  
> 

> **_“Yes.”_ **

> **_“Why?”  She didn’t understand it, and judging from the look on the prince’s face he wasn’t completely sure himself._ **

> **_After more than a few seconds of silence, made uncomfortable by the intense way he was studying her, he finally spoke again.  “Because then it’s in your hands.  Marriage would be your idea and not some punishment for getting the answer wrong. I don’t want to marry you only for you to resent me.”_ **

>   
>  **_She had no reply to that.  She remembered every condescending smile, every overly sure smirk from every single prince that had come before him, and then she remembered that he had never looked at her with the same expression the others had always had, not once.  
>  _ ** **_She opened her mouth to say as much, to say that if nothing else came of it she at least wanted him to know that she had no desire to see him dead, but the words stalled in her throat, and she had to clear it, and change her plan, before she could say anything._ **  
> 

> **_Her father often told her she was too proud.  She never had been able to disagree with the statement._ **

> **_“One killed none.  What is it?”_ **

> **_If the prince seemed surprised by the question he didn’t show it, and his expression remained impassive as he replied.  “A raven that died from eating a dead and poisoned horse.”_ **

> **_She swallowed at the answer then forced herself to speak again.  “But still killed twelve?”_ **

> **_“That would be the twelve murders that ate the raven and died from its poison.”_ **

> **_The princess processed that information then gave a nod and began to wiggle until the prince rolled to the side so she could slip off the bed._ **

> **_When she had righted herself she turned back to look at him, taking in the rumpled hair and shirtless chest and far too calm expression before balling her hands into fists.  “You think you know me well enough to guess what I will do tomorrow?”_ **

> **_The prince shook his head, a smile tilting his lips as he glanced away and then back to her.  “I wouldn’t presume anything so intimate, Your Highness.”_ **

> **_“And if I give the answer?”_ **

> **_He smiled fully at that, teeth gleaming in the lamplight.  “I have no intention of dying, Princess, if that is what you’re asking.”_ **

> **_She frowned in response and turned to leave without another word._ **

> **_The walk back to her room was short and uneventful and she dismissed her friends as soon as she stepped inside, ignoring their curious looks and half asked questions until she had herded them out the door and left herself in the silence of being alone._ **

> **_It was only then that she realized she had lost her cloak at some point during the exchange, not that it overly mattered._ **

> **_She stayed up the rest of the night pacing and thinking of her different options._ **

> **_By the time the sun rose the next morning she was exhausted and conflicted but she at least knew what her answer would be._ **

> **_The entire court met in the throne room even before breakfast was served, and the princess ignored the hushed murmurs of those around her as she stood stick straight next to her father and refused to look at the prince who had come to stand just off to her side with his manservant._ **

> **_They waited as the three appointed judges for the contest filed in and settled into the seats that had been placed on the dais for them.  The king had chosen them himself and they all offered slight bows to the group before the princess stepped forward._ **

> **_“Do you have an answer to the riddle then?”  The first judge asked, her voice clipped and emotionless as she eyed the princess._ **

> **_The princess paused only a moment, her gaze betraying her as she looked back to the prince and the expressionless mask he wore._ **

> **_He wasn’t even looking at her._ **

> **_She pressed her nails into her palms and looked back at the judge who had spoken, feeling much too young and foolish to be making such choices, which wasn’t actually surprising seeing as she had always felt that way around the black haired woman.  “I do.”_ **

> **_“Very well.  One killed none, but still killed twelve.  What is it?”_ **

> **_There was a drawn out silence as the princess looked around again, suddenly unsure, but she was who she was, and she wasn’t strong enough to be someone different.  Not yet anyway._ **

> **_“A raven.”_ **

“Bullshit.”

The word, so unexpected, especially coming from Cullen, had Nell’s voice dying and her eyes widening as she blinked up at him.  “Excuse me?”

“That’s bullshit.  She wouldn’t give the answer.  That’s not how the story ends.”

“Cullen,” Nell started, and fell silent again as he made a cutting gesture with his hand.

“No,” he stated, his voice rising as he continued.  “You did not tell me this whole story just so she can have him killed at the end.”

“It’s just a story.”

“No,” he repeated, rising from the couch so he could pace away from it.  “It’s not just a story, not if you had me caring about these characters just so you could pull this.”

She laughed despite herself then stood when he shot her a glare.  “Pull this?  It’s my story, I can do with it what I please and-“ she stopped when he made to speak and held up a hand.  “And I do believe I never said it would have a happy ending.  I even told you that it wouldn’t be one, and now you’re telling me I have to change what it is because you don’t like it?”

She glared at him and then stalked to the changing room so she could shove on her boots.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m leaving.”

“You can’t leave now. You haven’t finished!  You can’t just leave it on a note like that.”

She came back into the bedroom and pushed past him so she could start down the stairs, her words whipping back to where he trailed behind her.  “I can do as I please, and I think you need to calm down before we go any further.”

“I’m calm.”

Nell stopped at the door and spun around to look up at where he stood at the top of the stairs.  “Elgar’nan’s ass you’re calm.  It’s a story Cullen, one that isn’t finished and I won’t sit here and listen to you complain about the path its taking.  I’m going to check on lunch, when I get back maybe you’ll be more inclined to not be so demanding.”

She glared at him a moment longer before slamming out the door.


	10. Part 10

Nell found Cullen out on the balcony when she came back up with the food.  She couldn’t see his face, but the way he was standing hunched over the rail, hand on neck, she could guess that he was berating himself for yelling.

Setting the food tray down, she went to lean against the door frame behind him, her arms crossing as she watched the ends of his hair and shirt flutter as the wind passed over them. “Cooling off?”

She had to stifle a laugh when he jerked around to look at her, his arm dropping so that his hands could flutter for a moment in some half realized attempt to settle on his hips.  “No, um… No I was just clearing my head.”  He took a step towards her and seemed to hesitate for a second before reaching out to pull her arms apart and grip her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“For?”  She raised a brow then gave an exaggerated nod before pulling away from him and going back to the food tray.  “Oh, that’s right, you told me my story was wrong.”

“I may have gotten a little… annoyed.”

“With an unfinished story.”

“Yes.”

“That you didn’t write.”

“Yes.”

“After you told me to prove you wrong.”

“Yes.”  This time the word was ground out, annoyance coloring it even as he moved to her side and reaching for one of the bowls of stew.  “Yes to everything.  Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Just making sure we’re on the same page, Commander.”  She beamed at him when he simply glowered and took her food back to the couch.

She had just lifted the spoon to her mouth when he joined her.  He sat too close, his arm bumping hers, and reached out to still her movement. When she frowned and tried to pull away he tightened his grip.  “So are you going to finish?”

She looked at him and then heaved out a sigh.  “Right now?”

“Unless you feel you need to teach me another lesson.”

“Oh, I’d like to teach you a lesson alright,” she muttered, wrenching her hand away and rolling her eyes when he simply grinned at her,  _that grin_ , the one that was tilted and charming, and that she had never quite learned how to say no too because damn if he wasn’t even more pretty when he was wearing it.  “You’re annoying, you know that right?”

“So are you, I guess that makes us perfect for each other.”  He tugged at a piece of her hair before scooting down the couch to the other side, his bare feet settling comfortable against her leg as she frowned and ate a few bites.

She thought about telling him no just to spite him, but she wanted to get to the end almost as much as he did, if only to see his reaction to it.

“Fine.”  She settled back against the couch and shifted so that she could lean into the corner and took a few moments to swirl her spoon through her bowl before casting her eyes to the ceiling as she thought about how it was supposed to go.  “The judge asked the princess what the answer to the riddle was, and she had responded with ‘a raven’.”

> **_“Well shit, Curly.  What now?”_ **

> **_The manservant’s words brought the prince back from his thoughts and he glanced down before looking over to where the princess stood too still.  “We knew this could happen.  You know what you need to do.”_ **

> **_The dwarf scowled a moment before nodding and heading for a door while muttering something about how he didn’t know why they couldn’t have found an easier way to do things._ **

> **_He watched as a muscle ticked in the first judge’s jaw before she asked the princess if she could explain how the answer was a raven.  The princess nodded and glanced towards the prince again before giving a small cough. “Of course.  The raven ate of a dead and poisoned horse and died from the poison itself.  It was then eaten by twelve murderers who died from the poisoned flesh.”_ **

> **_Her words came out muffled as her head dropped slightly, the dark rusted color of her hair strangely bright against the muted brown of her dress and the white stone that surrounded them. The prince could also just make out the bluish bruising beneath her eyes and wondered if she had gotten any sleep. He also wondered, again, for the millionth time, what exactly she feared so much that she would be so conflicted over her answer._ **

> **_The judges conferred a moment between themselves and finally the second judge turned his gaze to where the prince stood, his bearded face serious and his voice solemn when he spoke.  “That is the answer, is it not, Your Highness?”_ **

> **_“It is,” the third judge cut in before the prince could reply.  “It’s the right answer, but she didn’t want to give it.  Why did you?”_ **

> **_The princess lifted her face to blink up at the pale boy as if she was surprised to see him there.  She opened her mouth then shut it again before finally speaking.  “Of course I wanted to give it.  Don’t be ridiculous.”_ **

> **_It would have been more believable if she had been able to meet anyone’s eye with her words._ **

> **_The first judge cleared her throat to get their attention.  “It doesn’t matter why or how she gave the right answer, all that matters is she did. You know what that means.”_ **

> **_“I would know what it meant if the princess hadn’t cheated to get the answers,” the prince responded and had all three judges looking over to him._ **

> **_“Cheating is a serious accusation, Your Highness,” the second judge stated and turned to face the prince more fully.  “I’m assuming you have proof.”_ **

> **_The prince offered a bow and took a few steps closer to the dais.  “It is on its way, but until then I will let you know that the princess and some of her servants have spent the last three nights coming into my room in hopes of pulling the answer from me while I slept.  My companion and I were able to pull their cloaks from them as they tried to flee after being caught.”_ **

> **_The princess stared at him as he spoke, her eyes wide and her mouth slightly open before she reached out to him to yank his shoulder down and bring his ear in range of her mouth.  “This was your plan?  Is that why you took my cloak?”_ **

> **_He tilted his face towards hers, his lips curving up as he studied her expression of accusation.  “I didn’t take anything, you left it.  Would you rather I go willingly to your hangman’s noose?”_ **

> **_She let go of his coat and straightened to face the judges again even as the prince’s manservant arrived back in the hall, his arms full of different colored cloaks that he dumped on at the feet of the judges when the prince nodded that way._ **

> **_The judges each reached down for a cloak, the first judge pulling back  one that was brown, the second judge getting one that was dark green, and the third judge being left with the bright dove grey.  The color of it was easily recognizable to everyone in the room; it had always been the princess’ favorite._ **

> **_Forgetting the cloak in her own hands the first judge looked from the grey cloak to the princess.  “That is yours, is it not?”_ **

> **_The princess did not answer, instead keeping her eyes trained on the foot of the dais while a dark blush worked its way over her face.  The prince was tempted to ask if she was embarrassed or angry, but decided he probably wouldn’t like either answer._ **

> **_After several long seconds of silence the judges looked at each other and began to confer again.  After a short while they turned back to everyone in the room and the first judge made a motion to the cloak that was still in the third judge’s hand.  “It is our decision that due to the fact that the princess had to receive the answer from the prince himself it is not valid.  Therefore, in accordance with the rules that she herself put into place she and the prince shall be married.”_ **

> **_The judges made to stand, but the prince paid little attention to it since he was focused on the way the princess’ throat worked as she swallowed, and how she still hadn’t looked up._ **

> **_He nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his arm and jerked his head up to see three sets of eyes looking at him. “Yes?”_ **

> **_The third judge held the cloak out to him and he took it automatically, confused at the bright smile and the too knowing look that was being sent from behind unkempt hair.  “Um…  thank you.”_ **

> **_“She’s happy with the way things have gone.  She won’t say it, there’s too much pride, but she did not want you dead.  She doesn’t want you to leave either.”  When the prince simply blinked at the words the judge patted his arm and turned to walk away._ **

> **_The second judge followed out the third and the first judge started to before pausing and looking back to the princess.  “You should embroider that cloak with gold and silver.  It would look nice over a wedding dress.”_ **

> **_The princess still didn’t reply and the judge sent the prince a small shrug before leaving with the others._ **

> **_The prince stared at the princess for a long time before he heard others starting to murmur.  Suddenly not wanting an audience he took the princess’ arm and tugged her out of the throne room and down the hall until he finally came to an empty reading room and pushed her inside._ **

> **_They circled each other, the princess glaring even as the prince tried not to smile at how annoyed she looked._ **

> **_“I feel like I should say first off that I have no intention of making you marry me, Princess.  Not if you don’t want to.”_ **

> **_If it was possible her glare grew more pointed and she waved a hand at the cloak he was still holding.  “If that was the case, why do that?”_ **

> **_“Just because I won’t make you marry me doesn’t mean I would gladly toss my life away.”_ **

> **_“I wasn’t going to let them kill you.”_ **

> **_“No?”_ **

> **_“No.”  Her response was shouted and the prince realized, belatedly, that their voices had been rising since he had first spoken._ **

> **_He took a beat and made sure his voice was under control before speaking again.  “Why not tell me that then.”_ **

> **_“And miss the look on your face when you thought you might be going to your death?  I’m not as nice as all that.”  A smile twitched over her face with her words and he found himself letting out a laugh even as he took a step closer to her._ **

> **_“So what now?  It’s obvious you don’t want to marry and I couldn’t possibly be the only person that can come up with a riddle you don’t know the answer to.”_ **

> **_The princess looked down at her hands, her fingers picking at each other in a nervous gesture.  “You’re wrong.  I want to marry.  I just didn’t want to marry anyone who thought I was an easy prize.”_ **

> **_The prince nodded and moved closer so he could study her down-turned head.  “So you will start the contest back when I leave?”_ **

> **_“Or,” she started then stopped and looked to the cloak, her teeth working at her bottom lip before she spoke again.  “You could stay.  The judge wasn’t wrong about this making a nice wedding cloak.”_ **

> **_He didn’t respond right away and the silence stretched between them until the princess took a step back and looked up at him.  “Just as a thought.”_ **

> **_It made him laugh, a laugh that rolled up from his gut and burst out with enough force that the princess stepped back again.  “I have a feeling, Princess, that if I stayed you would end up driving me insane,” he finally said once the laughter had died._ **

> **_“I won’t lie to you, it’s a very real possibility.  Does that mean you’re going to leave?”_ **

> **_The prince passed a hand over his neck and held the cloak out to her, their fingers brushing and tangling when she reached out to take it.  “No, I think you’re right.  It would make a lovely wedding cloak and I would regret not seeing you in it.”_ **

> **_And then he was laughing again and the cloak was crushed and forgotten between them as he leaned down and she reached up and their lips met in a kiss._ **

“And they lived happily ever after,” Cullen shouted and Nell couldn’t help laughing at the boyish smile on his face as he reached an arm up to pump his fist into the air.  “I told you.  I told you!”

“Yes,” she laughed out and set her empty bowl on the floor.  “You are brilliant.”

“No, I just know you.” He set aside his own bowl and half crawled across the couch until he could slide his arms around her and pull her into his lap.  “As much as you hate to admit it you love me, and you would never have us not be together. Not even in a story about people who you keep swearing aren’t us.”

She forced herself to keep her face expressionless even as she drew her finger along the neckline of his shirt.  “I like you well enough I suppose.”

“You love me.”

He looked so earnest, so sure and pleased, that she felt her face break into a smile and threw her hands up in annoyance.  “Fine, yes. I love you.  Happy?”

“With you?  Always.  I liked your story.”

“I’m glad.”

“You’ll need to come up with another for me.”

She pretended to think about it, her finger coming up to tap lightly at her chin.  “Maybe Varric and I can come up with one for everyone to hear about a golden haired commander who likes to-“ she cut herself off and leaned down to whisper the rest in his ear and then Cullen was standing from the couch and tossing her over onto the bed, and they were both laughing loud enough that the people in the courtyard below paused in their conversations as they tried to decide if the noises they heard were voices or just the wind.


End file.
